Conversations
by MarbleSky
Summary: A three-part series of short conversations that take place during the first novel.
1. Chapter 1

**Like mentioned in the description, there's going to be three of these. They're super short but I thought they turned out pretty good, so here we are! Not much of an introduction is needed for this, but you'll know right away who they're about and when they take place. Crossing my fingers and hoping you guys like them.**

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They could smell him long before they saw him.

It was a combination of torch fire, silk clothing, and whatever the hell he ate for dinner. The odors of the cave did nothing to mask his smell. It was _completely_ repulsive.

When they reached him, the boy was sitting on a rock, shifting nervously while he waited. His fingers were twitching slightly, and there was a small gleam on his forehead from perspiration.

So _that_ was the secret ingredient to his horrible stench. Sweat.

"Greetings," he called, his voice feigning confidence. But they saw right through it. There was no way on Earth he was hiding this from them. The boy was absolutely terrified.

"I must admit, I did not think you would show up."

"Surprises are good, yes?" said the boy through a fake smile, standing up to look at them directly.

Maze ignored him while the other gnawer took to circling the boy, which made the boy a lot more nervous. Humans were just _so_ easy to scare.

"You are lucky we came this far out," Maze told him then, almost lazily. "We are far too close to the city."

"It was necessary," the boy said quickly. "I cannot afford to be gone too long. Someone might notice."

Maze nodded, leaning back against one of the cave walls.

"Have you thought about the king's generous offer?" asked Radar, his voice taking an unusually high pitch. He was probably just holding his breath as he spoke to avoid smelling the human, and honestly, Maze couldn't blame him.

"I have thought about it," he nodded, a tint of hesitation in his voice. "And I accept, but I have some conditions."

At his words, both gnawers gave him a hard stare, causing him to take an involuntary step back. Radar glanced over at Maze with a questioning look, unsure of what to say.

"Continue," Maze said slowly, never taking his eyes off the human.

"I will deliver you the Overlander. But when you take the city, I want my sister, my cousin, and my bond spared."

"That's a quite a few people. Can you even count that high, pup?" growled Radar. The boy swallowed but didn't answer him.

"Where _is_ your bond, anyhow? Waiting to fly in and save you? You know he would be too late if I decided to rip your throat out right this second," said Maze, his voice calm and collected.

The boy turned even paler than he already was, jumping at the noise Radar made when he slouched against a rock.

"My bond does not know about me being here. He will not turn his back on me when this is over, but right now, I do not think he would understand."

Maze exhaled audibly, doing his best to stay calm. Dealing with humans, especially children, was really not his specialty. He should be out invading the nibbler colonies or attacking the spinners. But no. He just _had_ to piss off King Gorger. This was beyond an embarrassing punishment. It was pure humiliation.

"Your cousin, your sister, and your bond. Fine." Maze agreed with an annoyed and exasperated exhale. Then, after a pause for added effect, he locked eyes with the boy, making sure he understood the seriousness of his next words. "But General Solovet has to die."

"Solovet? Kill her," the boy said indifferently. "I care not about her. Or Vikus, for that matter. You can kill him too if you so wish."

Radar laughed then, rather loudly and going as far as rolling on the floor for a few seconds. When he calmed down enough to speak, he propped himself up with his tail and looked at the boy. "Caring heart for the man that has protected you from Solovet all these years."

"Vikus is a _fool_ ," he said simply. "Does he expect us to live and thrive off an alliance with the _crawlers_? Of all creatures?"

"So that is all you want?" asked Maze, extremely bored now. "Just the three?"

The boy nodded nervously. "Yes. Just them."

"Very well," sighed Maze, standing slowly. He was so ready to go. But he hadn't gotten to the position of leader by being soft.

Not in the slightest.

"I do not remember you being offered the luxury of placing your own conditions, though."

The boy's face turned a different shade with both embarrassment and fear, and Maze struggled to keep a smile down.

"Calm yourself, pup. I will allow them," he shrugged. "But I will place some of my own."

He took a step forward, yawning slowly. Although he was bored, the yawn was completely fake. It was just to show this human his long, sharp teeth.

"If any of them decide not to join you, they will die. On the spot."

"They will join me," the boy reassured him quickly.

Maze smiled. "Of course they will." He nodded towards Radar before turning back to where they had come from. "Run along now, kid. We do not want someone to get suspicious, do we?"

Giving an awkward bow, the boy quickly scrambled away, leaving the two gnawers behind.

"Was that a good idea?" Radar asked him when they started walking back.

"What?"

"Promising him the lives of his relatives and his bond?"

Maze shrugged. "It will not matter what I said."

"Why not?"

"King Gorger has made it clear that he wants the Overlander and the young queen dead."

"But what if the queen joins the boy like he said?"

"She will die anyway. It will be easy enough to say she changed her mind and that we had to kill her. All we have to do is wait until she is out of the boy's sight."

Radar nodded, finally understanding.

Maze resisted the urge to sigh in annoyance and disappointment for the tenth time that day. Not only had he been burdened with this task, but he had been paired with an incompetent idiot. He made a mental note to rid his platoon of all soldiers who seemed like they couldn't even pronounce their own name.

He simply _couldn't_ deal with idiots anymore.

Or drunks. Working with alcoholics was the reason he had been punished in the first place. Sending Fangor and Shed on patrol? Pure stupidity on his part, knowing they would probably have a drink or two, as they usually did when paired together. They had practically received the Overlander on a silver platter, and they couldn't kill him. They had probably spent too much time talking. Playing with their food.

"What about the others?" Radar asked suddenly.

"His sister and his bond? They can live. His bond will not do anything. And his sister is the weak, delusional one. Neither of them are a threat. Plus, they can be used as leverage until we get everything we need. After that, they can die. Or not. No matter." He paused then, thinking of his king's words. "But the Overlander and the queen will die. _That_ will not be negotiated."

"You think he is the Overlander of prophecy?"

Maze shrugged again. "There is much talk about this one. Word floats around of how he looks like the prisoner in the east dungeons. There is a possibility of it, but he cannot fulfill a prophecy if he is dead, right?"

Radar let out a laugh, which annoyed Maze even more. God, he needed to get back.

"The prophecy speaks of leaping."

"I bet he will take quite the leap when the king throws him off a cliff to be eaten by serpents," said Maze.

"The queen too, if she doesn't join right away."

 _I just said that_ thought Maze, rolling his eyes. Instead of saying it out loud though, he said, "Despite what the boy says, I doubt she will turn. She hates gnawers to the core. And she is cold. Much like her mother, that one is."

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King Gorger was pleased with the news they brought, immediately lauding their work.

"Very well done, Maze. I must admit that I doubted you, but you have done me proud. You may get back to leading your pack of idiots," the king said in a low voice.

Maze bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, my king."

"With the Overlander and the queen delivered to us, we can storm the city with little opposition. The humans will be too shaken to respond fast enough. Even the great General Solovet will not escape this one."

"We will not rest until those three lose their light, your grace."

"Die they shall," the king growled, picking up a human skull to work on his long teeth. "I will make sure of it."

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 **Let me know what you guys think. PMs and reviews always welcome. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who's given me some feedback on this. I really appreciate all the kind words that have been sent my way. I know I've said this a few times already but these are supposed to be really short, as there really isn't meant to be much more. In fact, these are like tiny additions to what we already have, so they're basically just fillers. Well, in my mind anyway.**

 **Hope you guys like it.**

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"I am not saying to become his _best friend_. I am simply suggesting that we-"

"That we what?"

She paused, thinking her words over carefully. "I do not know," she admitted after a moment. "Perhaps just give him a second chance?"

"A second chance?" he snorted. "Luxa, he does not _respect_ you. How _dare_ he speak to you as if you were a…a…a lowborn!"

"He is only unused to our customs, Henry. It is not his fault."

"You know what _is_ his fault? The battle at the beach. Any one of us could have died. Even you."

Luxa looked away from him, staring out the window to the sleeping city below. The soft warm glow from the torches that lit the streets held no joy for her, however. Not like they usually did. Not when she was under the cold, criticizing eye of her cousin.

"He is scared," she tried again. "Lost in a strange land far from home. And you said it yourself. He fought, Henry. Threw the torch in that gnawer's face and-"

"A strike of luck," he spat. "Not _valor_." Henry paced around for a few seconds before turning towards her again and narrowing his eyes in a hard stare. "Why are you defending him, anyway?"

She blushed slightly. "I am not! I only-"

"Forget it," he sighed in frustration, waving his hand roughly in an effort to cut her off. "We will go on this _stupid_ quest like Vikus wants, simply to stop his constant preaching. And when it is over, the Overlander will go home and things can go back to how they were."

"But the warrior is mentioned in more than one prophe-"

"He is NOT the warrior!" Henry shouted, scaring Luxa into cowering away from him. Calming himself, he took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "He is just a lost little boy," he whispered.

Luxa avoided his gaze. When she thought of something else, something from before, she turned to face him.

"Where were you?"

Henry looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"Earlier today. Ares could not find you, and we-"

"Do not change the subject, Luxa," he said quickly.

Luxa got quiet again after that, sad that she had disappointed him. He very rarely got this upset. With her anyways, and it was entirely her fault. How dare she put an Overlander over her cousin? That was just evil.

"I will not become friends with this…Overlander," Henry said finally. "Or even _talk_ to him much. I am only going because I have to. But it is pointless." He gave another hard stare, one she couldn't ignore this time. "Yes?"

He saw her shoulders slump a bit, and her gaze dropped to the floor. "Yes," she whispered.

"You are with me always? No matter what?"

She looked up at him, giving him a curious look. "Why would you ask that?"

"Not sure," he shrugged, looking away. "It seems you are making quite outrageous priorities when it comes to people."

"No!" Luxa said quickly, reaching out and placing a small hand on his forearm. "I am not prioritizing. You know I am with you always, Henry."

"Mean you the words you speak?" he pressed.

She nodded and offered him a smile. "Of course."

He mirrored her smile, unable to keep it from his face.

Oh Luxa.

Young, innocent Luxa.

She might have hardened when their parents died, but she would never be strong enough to lead the kingdom. Not ever. It was something he hadn't realized before, but now that he knew the truth, it was his obligation to do something about it.

Her father wasn't strong enough. That's why he was dead. Sadly, even Henry's own father, the king's younger brother, was not strong enough, and had therefore lost his light as well. Sadly, Henry's older sister was weak and could not rule if Luxa was taken out of the picture for one reason or another.

That only left him.

He had learned from what others had done, and he would make sure not to make the same mistakes. Not him. He would rule with an iron fist and make sure the alliances they had would ensure their survival. He'd take control, form a treaty with the gnawers, and then replace Gorger with a gnawer he trusted. Maybe one he could influence and possibly even control. But not before the rat got rid of everyone for him, like Vikus and Solovet.

Luxa would stay with him. She might not fully understand why he needed to be the one to rule, but she would. Eventually. He'd convince her to let him take the throne and everyone would be a lot safer. He'd thought in the beginning that she might oppose, but why would she? Didn't she trust him? Didn't she want to be safe? Besides, the confirmation she had just given him was more than enough to convince him.

She was with him. She was on his side.

That was good.

Her life depended on it, after all.

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 **There's only one more chapter to this, and then we're done! Again, thanks so much for reading, and please feel free to leave me a review. "Till the next one!**


	3. Chapter 3

**We've made it to the final chapter! The last two were very obviously about Henry, and although I did get a few predictions about what this final chapter was going to be about, this last one is going to be a surprise. And only because no one guessed right, not necessarily because it's a better chapter or anything. In fact, it's a lot less revealing in terms of characterization than the other ones.**

 **Either way, I still hope you like it.**

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"Well, well. If it isn't my favorite human. Well, after Solovet, of course."

"I believe her to be everyone's favorite."

"Yes, but if we're being completely honest here, she's actually their favorite one to hate."

"Perhaps," said Vikus, climbing off of his flier with a smile. "Good to see you are well, Ripred."

The gnawer shrugged indifferently. "I could be doing better."

Vikus nodded. "I believe we could _all_ be doing better, my friend. However, that seems to be something that will continue to evade us in the near future."

"Yes, well, you speak of being unwell because there is no peace. I speak of being unwell because I have nothing to eat. Do you know how hard it is to find food in the Dead Lands? I tire of fish constantly. There's only so many ways you can eat it."

"I will send you a few baskets as soon as I get back to the palace."

Ripred snorted. "Of what? Grain? Fruit? Or let me guess: _Pastries_. That stuff might be good for you but it doesn't compare to shrimp and cream. You know that the sugar grains get stuck between my teeth?"

"And the scales of fish do not?"

"That's _exactly_ why I need shrimp."

"The baskets of fruit are all I have to spare, I am afraid," said Vikus with a sad shake of his head.

"What about some cattle?"

The older man shifted uneasily as he thought it over. "I do not know if-"

"Just one."

"I am not-"

" _One_ cow, Vikus."

There was a sigh and a long pause before Vikus finally said, "I will see what can be done."

Smiling, Ripred nodded at Vikus' large gray flier, Euripides. The bat gave him a friendly nod in return and a slight ruffle of his wings. He wasn't exactly the talkative kind, but at least he wasn't afraid of him. Over the years, Vikus' bond had gotten used to the rat.

"So what brings you out here, Vikus? Came for a visit out of the goodness of your heart?"

"There is an Overlander in the palace," he announced, getting straight to the point.

"So I've heard."

"His father is the man the gnawers have trapped. And that makes him the son of a sun."

Ripred turned to him, all funny business dying with Vikus' words. "The Overlander from the prophecy?"

"I believe so."

"You think he is the warrior?"

Vikus nodded slowly. "I do."

Ripred frowned as a look of confusion clouded his face. "The prisoner looked young when he first came. I didn't think he fathered children over five years old…but he could have started young, I suppose. Still, I'm not so sure a teenager can be the warrior."

There was a slight pause. "He is…not a teenager," Vikus said slowly.

"An adult already?"

"No. A child, in fact."

Ripred blinked. "How old?"

"We should not focus on age. It is all a matter of-"

" _How old_ , Vikus?" Ripred asked through clenched teeth.

"Eleven."

"Eleven?!"

Vikus simply nodded, sending Ripred into a fit of rage which involved heavy breathing, pacing back and forth, and the cracking of his tail like a whip whenever he put emphasis on a word.

"That's _perfect_! We have a better chance arming a _crawler_ with a sword and sending _him_ out to fight our battles," growled Ripred. "Maybe we can send your friend. Pend, was it?"

"Ripred, do not underestimate him. Child or not, he could free us of much evil."

"How, Vikus? You expect him to fight a giant white rat within the next few years?"

"Perhaps he will not do it _physically_. You know how we tend to misinterpret the prophecies. He might fight him with words. Perhaps that is what he will teach us. He is a kind, caring boy who-"

"Kind and caring?"

"He-"

"Tell me you haven't gotten attached."

"Not attached, no. I have only-"

Ripred's groan cut off any chance for an answer. "Misinterpreting the prophecies is something we have all done in the past, fine. But I think it's pretty clear that he will lose his light when this is all over."

Vikus only sighed, shaking his head softly.

Ripred wanted to do the same. He wanted to sigh in frustration and then maybe go fight off a few plants in the jungle just to blow off some steam. This entire thing was completely maddening.

Humans and their prophecies. Why did they still believe in all that crap? It was…pointless, to say the least.

…But Ripred knew that if he wanted something done, he had to play along. And oh man was he going to have to play along if he wanted things set in motion so that Gorger's reign could finally come to an end. He could have probably done other things to make the change faster, but it would definitely have been more violent, and probably at a personal cost to him. Why not have others work for him?

"So what did you want me to do?"

At that, Vikus' demeanor changed and his face seemed to light up with hope. Ripred almost felt bad playing him.

Almost.

"Remember you when the adult Overlander was captured a couple of years ago? You and I had a conversation the very next day."

"I do remember that, actually."

"I think it is time. The ones mentioned in the prophecy will begin their quest. The boy wants to rescue his father, and I want _you_ to lead them."

Ripred laughed. "You want me to be the 'gnawer beside'?"

"They will never make it without a guide."

Well, that was true enough. But still. Stuck with a bunch of kids who had never been outside the city limits? Bleh.

"If they succeed," continued Vikus, "You will finally be able to gain some respectable influence in the Dead Lands."

Ripred narrowed his eyes. "Is that what you're going to use to bribe me into going?"

"I will throw in a cow to that bargain."

He smiled and smacked his lips loudly. "I always knew I kept you as a friend for a reason."

"So you will do it then?"

Ripred nodded, thinking about the steak he'd have that night. "I'll pick up a few soldiers to meet you when you get here. Make sure I disappear, and kill the rest. It will only be four or five."

"When was the last time you bathed?"

"Why?"

"I think the river is a nice way to go unnoticed."

He groaned internally. "Fine. Knock me into the river, and I'll join you further in."

"Very well."

Vikus moved to get back on his flier, but Ripred extended his tail and placed it on the man's shoulder, holding him in place for a few more seconds.

"This boy better be the right one, and this entire thing better be worth it. I don't like water, and taking a swim should have its reward."

Vikus chuckled softly as he and his bond gained altitude.

"You are not the only one hoping he is the warrior, Ripred," the rat heard him say. "I assure you."

Ripred stared until the human and his bond were completely out of sight before mumbling under his breath.

"Screw the warrior. He better have been telling the truth about that cow."

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 **Thanks to everyone who's been kind enough to read, review, and PM. I've actually gotten a few more ideas for stories just talking to you guys, and I also have some others saved and stored away that might someday find their way here, so if my schedule EVER clears up in a way that I have more time for this, it'll be a priority. Let me know what you guys thought of this, as a whole not just for individual chapters. Again, thanks so much for reading!**


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